tolasfandomcom-20200213-history
Zel’bidaal
"It seemed to get hotter as we approached the city, as if the walls of sandstone held molten cores of iron that spilled their heat onto the dusty paved streets. The first thing we saw as we entered was a dead man strung up above the gate set aside for foreigners to enter, carved into his flesh were words in the native tongue, asking my translator what it meant spoke much about this city and its priorities. It said 'Water Thief', he had drunk from a pool belonging to one of the local leaders and so was killed for the sin of trying to live". -'' From the travelogue of Emdin'ven, Cultural Considerer of Telinor. Zel'bidaal is a large city in the Vhir desert. It is populated by the Zelfolk and is infamous for its slave trading and oddly shaped buildings giving it the name ''City of Shapes. Two key trade routes, the Spice Road and the Coast Road meet together at Zel'bidaal. History Ancient History Zel'bidaal is one of the Zelfolk's oldest cities and is the centre of their power on Vhir. It has been inhabited for thousands of years by humans, or creatures so close to human as to make no difference in everyday life. It has gone through various government models over the generations ranging from divinely appointed monarch, dictatorship to oligarchies such as its current leadership. Zel'draren Exodus The city is also home to many refugees from the recently abandoned city of Zel'draren that have either chosen to not adopt the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors or go to the settlement of Zel'pas. The Demon Lord Ruthazek A relatively recent event in Zel'bidaal's long history was the successful summoning of the Demon Lord Ruthazek by a cult that had risen up in the city. The Magistrates of the city requested the aid of the dragon Ithmitne from Okarthel, who arrived to deal with the barely shackled demon in a climatic battle above the city, the two winged titans unleashing devastating energies upon one another with the Dragon King emerging victorious though gravely wounded. The War in the Silence During the conflict between the forces of the Usurper and those that opposed him in Vhir, the city of Zel'bidaal became a critical location in the war between the peoples of Tolas and the exarch. Following the conquering of the city of G'yass, the armies of the Usurper were driven north up the Coast Road towards Zel'bidaal intending to intimidate the city into submitting. After the intervention of four noblemen, the Magistrates of the city were convinced to ally themselves against the Usurper and elected to stand and fight the forces that were illegally entering their land. After a bloody conflict the city surrendered to the forces of the Usurper who installed Magistrates sympathetic to him in charge. It is unknown how many joined the Usurper willingly though a great number of peoples from the Zel Lands fled north through the Spice Road towards Okarthel and Zel'arven, being led by the Faceless who escorted the Zelfolk to safety. When the Usurper was defeated the Magistrates that had betrayed their people were tortured, mutilated and then subjected to amputation of limbs, blinding, arcane castration and all of them had their souls rent apart in a dramatic public display marking the end of the war. Those Magistrates who had fought against the Usurper's forces became quite popular and had a great deal of influence in the Zel Lands for some time. The city was swelled with returning refugees and peoples celebrating the defeat of the Usurper. An unseen development from the conflict was the declaration of independence by Clan Obarth and the Rock Stalkers, though initially met with threats to kill the hostages it was discovered that those that had been taken by Zel'bidaal to ensure the tribes' loyalties had escaped during the battle of Zel'bidaal. Political Structure The Magistrates The Magistrates are collective of around forty men and women that have gained enough wealth to buy the title from a retiring or dead Magistrate, once they gain the title they are given the right to vote on how the city should be run. They must undergoe profane rituals and rites and are said to gain the knowledge of all their predecessors. The Magistrates all swear an oath to protect the city and provide for all its citizens, this however became very easy to work around once they changed the definition of a citizen to include a very select group of people. The Magistrates have a reputation for being scheming and manipulative but also for being incredibly powerful, few cross them and live to tell about it. The Magistrates are often locked in some degree of infighting which prevents them truly ever uniting except under extreme circumstances, such as before the fall of Zel’draren when a hoard of undead were moving across the desert and the Magistrates combined their wealth to buy a mercenary force large enough to match the strength of the risen dead. Military The Faceless For more on this group, see here. The Faceless are warriors that have devoted their lives to Zel'dibaal, protecting its borders and serving as its defenders in times of war. They wear desert cloaks that hide their faces and they often shed their names upon becoming one of the Faceless. They are gifted with long life and magical abilities that allow them to become masters of desert warfare and stealth. Many serve as assassins for the Magistrates though others seem to act independently. There seems to be no true hierarchy within the Faceless, all appear to be equal once the rites are performed. The Road Guards The two roads that extend out from Zel'bidaal, the Spice and Coast Roads are guarded by local tribes that have been coerced into protecting them by the Magistrates, either by force or by incentives. Mercenaries Zel'bidaal has a long history of employing mercenaries with the profession being an obvious choice for many in the city. Free lance work is the most common as the Magistrates seldom let companies grow too powerful in the city, preventing anyone from employing a private army cheaply with unites trained together under officers or commanders. Society Strive to Survive The prevailing philosophy in Zel'bidaal, and in much of Zelfolk society, is that life is a constant struggle to survival, with the relentless heat of the sun personifying this threat. This makes many Zelfolk come across as ruthless and cruel, a reputation they enjoy when travelling outside their territory for what protection it affords them. This stems from the Zelfolks ancestry as desert nomads that where death was a constant companion, though the threat of the desert has diminished with the construction of their cities this mentality has stayed with the people. There is seldom any charitable works in the city and if any are encountered they would almost always be from a foreign organisation seeking to aid poor and weak of the city. Water and Coin The value of water has risen since the collapse of neighbouring Zel'draren due to water shortage, this has created a sudden surge in wealth for the owners of water sources around the city and surrounding areas. This has also been accompanied by a rise in organised crime in the trade of water, with gangs emerging around water springs, aqua-ducts and wells. Languages The common language of Zelspeak is spoken throughout Zel'bidaal with draconic a close second followed by the Common Tongue. Economy Currency The gold and silver coins in the Zel community are pressed with one side bearing the city of its origin and another bearing an image of the sun for gold and the moon for silver, being known as Suns and Moons respectively. Copper and platinum coins are almost always imported. Natural Resources Zel'bidaal has little agriculture, instead relying on imports from other cities, usually its people will hoard surplus food during times of wealth to survive when times are poor. The area around Zel'bidaal serves as host to many nomadic herdsmen that move their flocks to grazing territories often having to go without food for days. Trade Zel'bidaal is the central trade hub for Vhir, with its location between G'yass and Okarthel via the Coast and Spice Roads connecting the continent to routes to Etan. The Magistrates place great emphasis on their city's ability to trade with other states and has been their chief cause for declarations of war to secure those rights. Water Sellers The trade and movement of water across the desert is a dangerous but profitable business, large caravans move out from Zel'bidaal bearing water in large casks and barrels to be sold around the desert and surrounding settlements. Religion Zel'bidaal has various religions within within its walls, many often caring about political aspirations rather than spiritual. Outsider Worship Worship of demons and devils recently fell out of fashion being replaced primarily by worship of the original Magistrates whom the current group claim to have a direct connection with. The Sky Tyrant A common thread throughout the history of all the Zels, is that the beings that other races and peoples call gods are an extension of their creation myth, and not divine beings but instead just powerful entities that the ignorant call gods. This myth holds that the sun is an ancient tyrant that forever chases the world in a fit of jealously for the life it holds, desperate to purge it all from its surface.Category:LocationCategory:VhirCategory:Settlement Category:Zelfolk